


i guess we had an expiration date

by therestisconfetti



Category: Victorious
Genre: Angst, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-11 02:37:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12925527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therestisconfetti/pseuds/therestisconfetti
Summary: Jade writes scripts, but for once she wishes this one wasn't hers.warning: angst ahead





	i guess we had an expiration date

**Author's Note:**

> title from the song "Nervous" by James Gavin

Jade’s never been one to willingly socialize.

Sure, she’s grown up over the years: high heels for combat boots, dirty blonde hair instead of the dark-dyed with streaks of vibrant color, fitted and respectable clothing over trench coats and too much leather - the list goes on.

One thing that hasn’t changed about Jade?

She still hates people.

Of course, she’s forced into situations by nature of her career. Being a director and screenwriter forces one to go around and “mingle” as they call it (Jade thinks that word is stupid, by the way), but it doesn’t mean one has to _like_ it.

Yet here Jade West is, at some release for a movie a friend of a friend produced, _mingling_.

She wishes she had a significant other to handle everyone else - let them do the talking while she sipped on seemingly bottomless cocktails. Unfortunately she was here solo and one of the few people she actually (somehow) tolerated was back in New York in the middle of rehearsals for Broadway’s next biggest show.

(Damn Cat Valentine and her God sent voice, honestly.)

Thinking about Cat momentarily has the writer falling back into her memory as she swishes what’s left in her glass. Beck would’ve been a great date to this event. He wasn’t as outgoing as Cat, but he was social enough to where Jade hardly even had to spare a glance at anyone who came their way.

She almost laughs out loud thinking about how well Beck put up with the high school version of Jade West.

She’d hoped to run into him now, chat a little, catch up, but he’s the star of this new blockbuster everyone in Hollywood’s been talking about.

Jade always knew he’d make it. Way to go, ex-boyfriend.

“You know you have to like, talk to people here, right?”

The dirty blonde is snapped out of her reverie by one of her latest producers and she sends him a frown.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she snaps.

He’s learned to ride out Jade’s moods over time and just offers a smile. “You’re scaring people off,” he adds.

“I don’t care,” she retorts.

He only offers a shake of his head before leaving another cocktail in front of her and engaging in conversation with someone a few feet away.

“Whatever,” she grumbles when he walks away, downing the last of her drink before taking the new one her producer had placed in front of her.

Despite the attitude, she makes nice with the two people that come up to her in the span of half an hour, nodding and laughing along like there’s no one else she’d rather be. After she excuses herself to a trip towards the bar offered at the venue, Jade sits back on one of the stools and surveys the crowd she’s surrounded by. Her favorite pass time at these events is to look around, create a story in her mind. It’s much like one of her scripts, she’s the writer of their stories. They are all at her mercy. She watches as actors, actresses, directors, producers, writers, and everyone mingle. She thinks-

Wait.

Jade’s brilliant blue eyes stop moving when they catch sight of incredibly well-structured cheekbones and straight brown hair. The figure laughs, so vibrantly just like Jade remembers.

Okay, so maybe she should’ve expected to see this one here. The singer and actress occasionally runs around some of the same circles as Jade does.

For a moment, Jade’s back in high school and a fire lights inside of her at the sight of the brunette. She feels so many emotions at once and doesn’t know how to react, and for a split second she wants to unleash the bitchiness that never quite left her no matter how much she grew up. She feels her walls going back up, her defenses coming in tact. She’s ready to hand out an insult as soon as she has a reason to open her mouth.

(That’s always how it was between them. Jade was a bitch, she knows that for a fact, but somehow she still couldn’t shake her off.

Maybe that was her downfall, looking back.)

Jade stares too long; their eyes meet. The woman smiles, making her way over.

For the first time tonight, she’s almost relieved she doesn’t have someone else she can attach to her side.

(The thought scares her, but her thoughts always scare her when it comes to perfect cheekbones and a big heart.)

“I was wondering when I’d finally run into you at one of these things,” she says, voice as chirpy as ever as she slides into the empty stool next to Jade.

“Do I know you?” Jade deadpans, slight smirk on her lips.

She only rolls her eyes after thanking the bartender for her glass. “Don’t you dare play dumb with me, Jade West.”

The writer scrunches her nose and frowns as she replies, “I couldn’t forget you even if I tried. You’re all over my TV all the damn time, Vega.”

“You sure you’re not just looking for me all the time?”

Jade has to give the woman props. She’s added a little bit of bite to her since high school.

(The writer kind of likes to think it somewhat started with her.)

“Hilarious,” she says with sarcasm dripping in her tone. “You’re just as annoying as I remember.”

Somehow by whatever powers lie in the universe, she hasn’t run into Tori Vega since they parted ways for college. As much as Jade hates to admit it - still, to the day honestly - the younger Vega was always going to be successful. But after going their separate ways she highly doubted they would find their way back to each other.

(Jade doesn’t believe in that fate bullshit. At least, she wants to think that she doesn’t. Especially when it comes to Tori Vega.)

“And you’re just as mean,” Tori lightly teases.

“Thanks, it’s what I’m going for.”

“You haven’t changed one bit.”

“Yeah well you haven’t either,” Jade points out before sitting up straight and mocking, “Little Miss Sweet Sally Peaches.”

It receives the intended reaction - Tori’s eyes widening as she groans, “I don’t talk like that!”

And it’s just like that Jade feels almost like she’s back in high school. Before the parties, the heels, the real life Hollywood - there was just Jade West and Tori Vega at Hollywood Arts with a group of misfits they called friends. It’s as close to normal she can get with Tori, all things considered.

Jade chuckles and says, “Sure you do, listen to your interviews,” taking a slow and easy sip of her drink.

At this, Tori quirks her eyebrow. “You watch to my interviews?”

God dammit, Jade.

“Uh no,” she replies, trying to save herself. “They just come up from time to time. Co-workers and stuff.”

“Uh-huh,” Tori hums, eyeing Jade as she uncomfortably takes a long sip of her drink again.

Then things are silent for a moment between them, and Jade’s reminded of everything she left behind when she left for New York after graduation.

She remembers crying in Tori’s living room because of a stupid breakup with Beck.

She remembers the terrible road trip to San Diego in the pouring rain and no top for the convertible.

She remembers the forced dinner date at Nozu and how everything in Tori’s expression was genuine when she quietly told Jade “you _are_ pretty.”

She remembers how Tori looked at her that night of the music awards, so happy and full of affection.

She remembers how every chance she got, she fought with Tori, feeling a sense of thrill and pride when she fought back.

She remembers how sometimes they were dangerously close, Jade ever-so threatening and Tori just waiting to see what she did, to make it move.

Jade still wonders, what kind of move did Tori want her to make?

 _Did_ Tori want her to make a move?

(And this, this is why Jade, despite everything she doesn’t believe in, almost wants to believe in fate.

Because Tori believes in fate.)

The thoughts all rushing her at once forces Jade to down the rest of her drink while Tori looks at her with slightly concerned eyes.

“Jade, are you-”

“Great,” she says as she swallows the last of it. “I’m great,” she repeats.

“Do you just drink at these things instead of talking to people?” Tori quips, shaking her head.

“Maybe,” she shrugs.

Tori reaches over, taking the glass out of Jade’s hand.

That’s when Jade sees it.

“I don’t think that’s-”

“I’m going to the bathroom,” Jade says abruptly. “See ya.”

She practically hops off the stool and struts her way to the restroom, trying to put as much distance between her and Tori Vega as possible. As soon as she’s in the clear and ensures she’s alone, she stands at one of the sink, hands on either side as she hunches over it. She feels sick, but it’s not from the alcohol.

“A ring,” she spits out, looking at herself in the mirror. “Fuck me.”

Jade decides fate is stupid; it’s a bunch of bullshit.

You don’t get second chances.

She recalls the summer before they went to college. Jade swears she spent almost every week with Tori, even though she made the girl swear no one knew they were hanging out.

And sometimes, Jade wanted to kiss her.

Other times, Jade felt like Tori wanted to kiss her too.

But not once did she try it.

She was too scared.

It’s like this for a few minutes - nothing but Jade, the mirror, and the sink - until someone else walks in.

Jade doesn’t make eye contact.

“Hey I came to check on you,” the sweet voice says and Jade curses in her head.

“I’m fine,” she says immediately, eyes lowering into the sink.

“Are you going to puke?”

“No,” Jade answers harshly. “I’m fine.”

Tori frowns, unable to figure out what’s wrong. “How much did you have to drink? Does your stomach-”

“When were you going to mention the ring?”

“What?” Tori asks, confused.

“You’re engaged,” Jade says plainly, looking into the mirror to find Tori standing right next to her in the reflection.

It’s the first time they (kind of) make eye contact and Tori looks down at the ring on her finger.

“Oh.”

“Oh,” Jade echoes, not in her typical mocking way, but just as Tori did it.

“Why are you-” the singer starts, not following, but when she drops her question the realization begins to cloud over her expression.

“You...we were...you…” she says, trying to piece it together. “You felt something, too.”

Jade looks back down into the sink, unable to meet her eyes.

“All the way back in high school,” the brunette continues. “You had feelings for me.”

The writer scoffs, looking back up at the mirror to see Tori’s reflection. “How couldn’t I? You were-you were the shiny, new transfer who wowed everyone.”

She turns, finally facing Tori with her own eyes as she continues, “I just wanted to end you at first. That’s all I wanted, but you were stupidly talented and endlessly nice to me and I-you broke me down, Vega! God dammit, you’re the one who broke through!”

“Why didn’t you do anything then?”

“Because Beck” is Jade’s automatic reply. “Beck was safe, he’d always be there.”

“You didn’t love him anymore though,” Tori points out.

Jade lets out a harsh, broken laugh. “No I didn’t,” she admits. “You knew that, though. You knew everything - everything but _this_.”

It’s silent for a few beats and Jade looks at Tori, who looks a mixture of hurt and concerned and upset.

“Tell me Tori,” she says when it’s clear her counterpart won’t reply. “Did you feel something, too?”

The brunette closes her eyes, squeezing them shut before meeting Jade’s bright blue ones again. “I was in love with you Jade,” she confesses. “I’d been in love with you. I would’ve done anything and everything for you. I just didn’t - you never gave me the chance.”

Jade’s eyes widen, her heart thumps against her chest.

“I had to move on Jade,” she continues. “I couldn’t wait for you forever.”

It’s like a swift kick to Jade’s gut. Her fear and insecurity in high school led her to this. She stands in front of the woman who was able to tear down all her walls, who was patient enough to ride out the best and worst of a teenage-angst filled Jade West.

Her eyes glance down at the ring. It’s like a punch to the face.

“I hope they treat you well,” she says, swallowing her pride.

Tori sighs, reading Jade’s defeat as soon as she noticed the way Jade won’t meet her gaze.

“Jade-”

“I have to go,” she interrupts, clearing her throat. “Good luck with everything.”

She spins on her heels, exiting the bathroom as fast as she possibly can.

This is like a script Jade would write - if she was into romance movies - where the idiot who was too scared misses her chance, doesn’t see how fast something in front of her can disappear, just like that.

And just like a script Jade would write, nobody tries to stop her from walking away.


End file.
